Out for Sport
Out for Sport was formed in 1999 by Ivan Bussens, to create a network of LGBT sports groups, mainly in London and the South East.
On 31 July 1999 Out for Sport organised a large tournament at Crystal Palace. It included mens and ladies volleyball, swimming, football, badminton, squash and running.
In 2005 Out for Sport London hosted The Building Bridges Conference that was intended to heal rifts between the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) and Gay & Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA). The event was organised by Ivan Bussens who helped the two major gay sports governing bodies come together to overcome their differences and discuss the future of gay sports. In 2018 the Gay Games and OutGames events will come together for the first time in the “One Quadrenniel Event”, London is bidding to host this event: London 2018.
In 2007 Ivan Bussens died, and the organisation ceased.
Out for Sport was very much seen by people in the North of England as a 'southern' organisation though it may have had ambitions of representing all the UK’s LGBT sports groups. Pride Sports in Manchester was the organisation in the north which brought LGBT sports groups together. The National LGBT Sports Network (which includes Pride Sports) is the UK's LGBT sports umbrella organisation, and London 2018, who are bidding for the 2018 Gay Games and OutGames are coordinating LGBT sports clubs in London.
GMFA, the health charity, also used the name ‘Out for Sport’ in the title of a small publication. GMFA runs an online database for all LGBT clubs and associations in the UK.[1]
